Clock



y 2 7.1 H. JoHNs oN; 2,243,;343

1 v cI opK 2 Filed May 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 iNvEN-roR M ATTORNEYSMay 27,1941;

H. JOHNSON CLOCK Filed May 10, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTIORaward/Miami;

M ATTORNEYS Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOCKHoward Johnson, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 10, 1939, Serial No. 272,824

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in time-pieces and moreparticularly to improvements in clocks.

An object of the present invention is to provide a clock of suchconstruction that indication of time thereby can be viewed from a numberof difierent angles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clock structure of suchcharacter that the passage of time can be indicated thereby at a numberof different points in the structure simultaneously by the samemechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clock structure in whichthe means indicating time at a particular location in the structuresimultaneously indicates time at other locations in the structurewithout the addition of other moving elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clock structure inwhich the indication of time is accomplished through the agency ofconcentric cylinders moving in opposite directions and havingcooperating indication means or formations thereon.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a clock structurewherein a pair of concentric cylinders moving in opposite directions isutilized to indicate hours, and a second pair of concentric cylindersmoving in opposite directions is utilized to indicate minutes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide formations in therespective pairs of cylinders of such character that light can passthrough the cooperating formations to indicate the passage of timevisually in conjunction with a scale.

In carrying out the foregoing and other objects of the invention a clockhousing is constructed in such fashion that in the form illustrated thehousing is provided with four sides, each side having vertically alignedand separated windows therein. Within the housing is mounted a clockmotor of any desired type, such as a spring motor or an electric motor,or any other convenient motor for furnishing power. Associated with thisclock mechanism is a pair of concentric cylinders rotating on a verticalaxis and in opposite directions. In one form of the invention each ofthe concentric cylinders is provided with a plurality of spiral slots,the slots in one cylinder extending in the opposite direction to theslots in the other cylinder. The slots in each cylinder are of numbercorresponding to the windows in the casing and are so designed that asthe cylinders rotate in opposite directions these slots cross each otherand the point of crossing moves upwardly at a uniform rate. These slotscan be so registered, those in one cylinder with those in another andwith the respective windows, that the upward movement of the openingprovided by the crossing of the slots will, when the cylinders arerotated at a predetermined rate, indicate the passage of time accordingto a scale associated with the respective windows.

Also mounted in the housing is a second pair of concentric cylindersrotated in opposite directions and provided each with a plurality ofslots in the manner previously described. This second pair of cylinderscan be operated to rotate at a different speed from the first pair sothat if the first pair indicates the passage of hours, the second paircan indicate the passage of minutes. In order that the openings providedby the crossing slots can be more readily visible, a source of lightrays can be positioned in the housing in such fashion that rays of lightcan pass through such openings.

If instead of utilizing slots in the cylinders for the passage of lightrays, it is desired to utilize other indicating arrangements, theinvention contemplates that the inner cylinder of each pair can have,instead of a slot, a spiral stripe thereon of a different color from thebody of the cylinder while the outer cylinder will have slots thereinwhich will cross the spiral stripes in the inner cylinder and therebyprovide a moving configuration for indicating the passage of time. As astill further embodiment of the invention, the pairs of cylinders can bemade of material in which the body and the spiral zones would be eitheropaque or translucent. For example, if the body of each cylinder is ofopaque material, the spiral zones could be made of translucent materialwhereby crossing of such zones, as the cylinders rotate in oppositedirections, would provide an illuminated indication marker. Also,translucent bodies could have stripes of polarized glass with the planesof the polarized glass crossing stripes out of coincidence andpreferably at to create a difference in the translucency.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent by reference to the following detailed description accompanyingthe drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of deviceembodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 1-4 of Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged horizontal section taken substantially onthe line -& of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 6-6 ofFig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic layout or development of the parts utilizedfor indicating the passage of minutes, such layout including the windowsin the housing;

Fig. 8 is a similar showing of the hour indicatien mechanism, and

Fig. 9 is a small layout, partially broken away,

illustrating a modification of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, it indicates generally a casing for aclock embodying the invention, such. casing being composed of anydesired suitable material. The casing is made up of a base portion iiwhich is of generally square shape in cross section and a tower portion52 also of generally square shape in'cross section but of smallerdimensions crosswise. The base portion ii and the tower portion l2 maybe of suitable ornamental configuration to relieve the square shape incross section. The base portion H has each surface thereof provided witha window l4 across the interior of which may extend a sheet I5 of somesuitable transparent material such as mica, glass, or some plasticmaterial. The tower portion i2 likewise has each of the four surfacesthereof provided with windows it, such windows likewise having sheets llof transparent material extending across fastened to the inner surfacethereof.

The base portion H has a partition 22 located therein and spaced fromthe bottom 2! a suitable distance. This partition as can be supported onpedestals 22 or can be fastened in the base portion in any othersuitable manner. The space between the partition 23 and the bottom 2!serves to receive a clock motor of any desired type, such as a springmotor, electric motor, or any other well-known type of clock motor. Byreference to Fig. 6 it will be seen that the partition 29 has extendingupwardly therethrough a shaft which is driven by the clock motor (notshown) in the customary fashion. This shaft 25 is designed to be drivenat a rate suitable for driving the mechanism utilized in indicating thepassage of minutes. To the upper end of shaft 25 and immediately abovepartition 2% is a gear 2 3 secured to the shaft for rotation therewith.This gear 2% has three sets of teeth thereon, namely, upper set 2'1, amiddle set 28, and a lower set recess cut in a suitable supportpositioned on the partition M, such recess being so shaped as to providea cylindrical portion 3 i, an upstanding ring portion 32, and a secondconcentric ring portion 34. Parts of these ring portions will be brokenout as occasion may demand for the mounting of portions of the operatingmechanism.

Mounted for rotation within the housing is a cup member indicatedgenerally at and having an upstanding wall part 35, a bottom 35, adepending portion 33, and an annular inwardly extending flan e The cupis so positioned that the bottom 31 thereof rests on the ring 32 withthe depending flange 38 positioned closely to the inner wall of thisring. flange part 39 is provided with gear teeth til meshing with themiddle set of teeth 28 of the gear 26.

A second cup-like member M is shaped similarly to the cup-like member 35except that the This gear 25 is positioned in a r bottom 42 extendsinwardly beyond the bottom 31 and has a depending part it, in the outeredge of which are out teeth 45 meshing with the upper set of teeth 2! ofthe gear 26. This second cup-like member 45 is supported by the firstmember 35 so that when these parts are rotated in opposite directionsone part slides upon the other. This opposite rotation of the two partsis obtained by the method of mounting gears on the cups as shown.

A shaft member 45 s fixedly secured in the partition 26 against rotationand has rotatable thereon a gear t? which is provided with three sets ofteeth, namely, a lower set 48 (Fig. 5), an intermediate set 49, and anupper set 59. As shown in the drawings, the lower set 48 are formed on apart of the gear of considerable diameter and are designed to mesh withthe lower set of teeth 29 on the gear 26. Supported by the ring as ofthe support 352 is a cup-like member indicated generally at 5% made upof an upright portion 52, a bottom 53, a depending annular part andinwardly extending flange part having teeth 55 cut in the inner edgethereof. These teeth 56 mesh with the intermediate set of teeth 49 onthe gear ll. A second cup-like member 51 is shaped in, a fashion similarto that of the member iii except that the bottom 58 extends over the topof the shaft 4.6 and has a depending flange portion in the periphery ofwhich teeth 59 are out. These teeth mesh with the upper set of teeth ofthe gear ll. As in the case of the first two cup-like members described,the second cup-like members are so mounted that the inner member 5Tnests within and is supported by the first member 5 i. Each set ofcup-like members is preferably made of some suitable metal, desirably oflight weight, but of good wear resisting property which is advantageoussince the cups bear against each other and are subject to a slightamount of friction, and wear of course is minimized due to the low speedof movement of the parts.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the two cup-like members 35and 4| extend upwardly only a short distance. The inner cup-like member4! has two narrow stay members 60 extending upwardly therefrom indiametric opposite disposition. These stays or supports are joined to aninner tubular shell 6|. Likewise two similar stays 62 extend upwardlyfrom outer shell member 35 and are joined to an outer cylindrical shellmember 64. The two sets of stays 60 and 62 are positioned substantially90' degrees apart, one member of one set from a member of the other set.These stays are shown in cross section in Fig. 3, with the stays 90degrees apart, which angularity varies as the parts rotate.

The two cylindrical shells 6i and B4 are positioned in the tower part l2of the casing. The inner tubular shell 6! is provided with a pluralityof parallel slots extending diagonally from near the top to near thebottom of the shell so that in effect they assume a spiral direction.The outer cylindrical shell 64 is provided with a plurality of parallelslots E6 extending diagonally from near the top to near the bottom ofthe shell at the same angle as the slots 65 but in the exact oppositedirection. By reference to Fig. 7, the relation of the slots will beapparent if it be assumed that the two shells be made of stripmaterialwhich is then rolled into cylindrical form and fastened in this form insome suitable fashion. In this figure the slots 5 5 in the inner shellare shown in dotted lines while the slots 66 in the outer shell areshown in full lines. Moreover in this same figure the relative positionof the windows I6 has also been shown in dot-dash lines. Since thewindows I6 are four in number, it follows that each shell is providedwith four diagonal slots. When the shells are assembled they are soassembled that the slots 65 and 66 cross each other midway between theside edges of a window I6. When one set of crossing slots has beenproperly positioned relative to one window IS, the other three crossingsets of slots will be properly positioned relative to the other threewindows I6. In the arrangement shown in the drawings the two shells 6|and 64 are preferably made of the same metal as the cup-like members 35and 4|.

The material of the upstanding part 52 of the outer cup-member isextended upwardly to form a cylindrical shell. Likewise the upstandingpart of the cup-like member 51 is extended upwardly to form an innercylindrical shell 51'. The inner shell 51 is provided with a pluralityof diagonal slots I0 extending in one direction while the outer shell 52is provided with a similar number of slots II extending at the sameangle but in the opposite direction. The relative position of the shells51' and 52 with their crossing slots III and II has been shown in Fig. 8along with a dot-dash showing of the windows I4 of the base part II ofthe housing. These slots of the shells are brought into register witheach other and with the windows I4 in the same manner as that describedin connection with the upper shells BI and 64 and the windows I6.

Secured to the partition 20 centrally thereof is a block 80 of suitablematerial fastened to the partition by screws 9|. An electric lamp socket82 is fastened to this insulating member 80 by screws 84. The partition20, support 30, and block 80 have registered openings for the passage ofan electric cable 85, the conductors 85' of which are connected to theproper terminals of the socket 82. An elongated electric light bulb 86can be inserted into the socket 82 through an open top of the tower partI2 of the housing, such open top being adapted to be closed by a capmember 81.

The base portion I I of the housing is provided with suitable indicia onthe surface thereof opposite the windows I4, which indicia may be in thenature of parallel lines, preferably of such number as to indicate thepassage of twelve hours. Likewise similar indicia may be provided on thesurface of the tower part I2 in the nature of parallel lines of suchnumber as to indicate the p ssage of sixty minutes. It is to beunderstood, of course, that indicia other than lines as shown may beused.

The operation of this clock is substantially as follows. Assuming thatthe clock is set to begin operation either at noon or at midnight, thetwo hour shells 52 and 51 will be so positioned relative to each otherthat their crossing slots I0 and II will cross each other at theirrespective bottoms. Due to this crossing of the slots, a substantiallydiamond shaped opening through the slots of the combined shells isprovided. If this diamond shaped opening is properly alignedsubstantially midway of a window I4 and the crossing of the slots is atthe bottom thereof, the horizontal points of the diamond will be exactlyopposite the horizontal line at the bottom of the indicia, which bottomline can be designed either zero or I2. At the same time the two uppershells are likewise registered one with another and with the windows I6so that the horizontal points of the diamond shaped through openingformed by the crossing of the slots will be in register with thelowermost horizontal line of the indicia associated with a window I6,which lowermost line can be designated either zero or 69.

With these two sets of shells so properly registered, power supplied tothe drive shaft 25 will serve to rotate each shell of the two pairs butwith the shells of the respective pairs in opposite directions. Thevarious meshing teeth are so designed that the inner and the outer shellof each set will complete a rotation simultaneously, or in other words,the two shells of each set move at the same rate. However, the gearingis also so designed that the pairs of shell in the base of the housingwill rotate at a relatively slow rate as compared to the shells in theouter part of the housing. The ratio of rotation, as in a clock having aminute hand and an hour hand, is the ratio of 1 to 12. As these two setsof shells are rotated in the manner described, it follows that thediamond shaped openings formed by the crossing of the various slots willmove vertically upwardly relative to the respective windows I4 and I6.

At the end of an hours time the position of the through opening formedby the crossing of the slots in the shells in the base will have movedvertically upwardly until the horizontal points of this diamond shapedopening are in line with the first horizontal stripe removed from thebottom of the window. Also during this first hour the diamond shapedopenings in the tower shells will move vertically upwardly at acontinuous uniform rate until at the end of an hour the horizontalpoints of the openings will be in alignment with the topmost horizontalindicating mark. Simultaneously a succeeding diamond shaped opening willappear at the bottom of each window due to the arrival at-each window ofthe next spiral slot in the outer shell in one direction and the nextspiral slot in the inner shell in the other direction. Thus as onediamond shaped opening disappears from the window another appears sothat the indication of time can be carried out continuously. Likewise atthe expiration of twelve hours one diamond shaped opening in the baseset of shells will disappear from the windows and another opening willappear at the bottom of each window.

A modified form of indicating arrangement is shown partiallydiagrammatically in Fig. 9 wherein the topmost or outer shell 90 of thesuperimposed shells is shown as being provided with slots 9I similar tothe slots before described. However, the bottom or inner member 92,instead of being provided with slots, has stripes 94 painted orotherwise applied to the surface thereof, which stripes are of acontrasting color relative to the remainder of the surface of thismember 92. For example, if the main portion of this member 92 be paintedor otherwise treated to have a black coloring, then the stripes 94 canbe made white. Likewise it will be advantageous to have the surface ofthe member 90 painted black so that when the slots 9| cross the stripes94 the result will be a diamond shaped figure in white. With thisarrangement the inner electric light bulb can be dispensed with ifdesired since light does not shine through the shells.

As a further modification it is contemplated that the sets of shells canbe made of such material as to permit parts thereof to be transparent ortranslucent while other parts thereof are opaque. With this arrangementit is possible,

without the provision of slots, to cause an illuminated diamond shapedfigure to move upwardly in each window, or, by the use of polarizedglass a contrasting figure can be caused to move upwardly.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as being embodiedin a housing wherein it is possible to ascertain the passage of timethrough Windows located in four sides of the figureflt will be evidentthat the housing can be made of any desired number of sides havingwindows therein, or can be of any other shape permitting the provisionof windows, the only requirement being that the housing be sodimensioned and the shells be so dimensioned that each shell will havesufficient slots or similar formations to permit the indication of thepassage of time through the various windows. I It is to be understoodthat the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodimentwhich serves to disclose only a preferred form thereof, but theinvention is capable of modifica tion; in view of which the limitationsto be imposed thereupon are only those set forth in the followingclaims,

I claim:

1. A clock of the type described, comprising two pairs of movingelements, the elements of each pair having cooperating formationsproviding a locus moving steadily vertically upwardly as the elementsare moved, the moving locus of one set of elements indicating thepassage of hours, and the moving locus of the other set indicating thepassage of minutes.

2. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing having verticallyextending windows therein at two different levels, a pair of movingelements associated with a window at one level, said pair of elementshaving cooperating formations providing a locus moving steadilyvertically upwardly behind the window as the elements are moved toindicate the passage of hours, and a second set of moving elementsassociated with a window at the second level, said second set of movingelements having cooperating formations providing a locus moving steadilyvertically upwardly behind the window as the elements are moved toindicate the passage of minutes.

3. A clock of the type described, comprising two pairs of movingelements, the elements of each pair having a plurality of cooperatingformotions providing loci moving steadily vertically upwardly as theelements are moved, the moving loci of one set of elements indicatingthe passage of hours, and the moving loci of the other set indicatingthe passage of minutes,

4. A clock or" the type described, comprising a housing having aplurality of vertically extending windows therein at each of twodifferent levels, a pair of moving elements associated with windows atone level, said pair of elements having cooperating formations providingloci moving steadily vertically upwardly behind the windows as theelements are moved to indicate the pa sage of hours, and a second set ofmoving elements associated with the windows at the second level, saidsecond set of moving elements having cooperating formations providingloci moving steadily vertically upwardly behind the windows as theelements are moved to indicate the passage of minutes.

5. A clock of the type described, comprising two pairs of concentricrotating elements, the elements of each pair rotating in oppositedirections having cooperating crossing formations providing a locusmoving steadily vertically upwardly as the elements are rotated, themoving locus of one set of elements indicating the passage of hours, andthe moving locus of the other set indicating the passing of minutes.

6. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing having verticallyextending windows therein at two different levels, a pair of rotatingelements one within the other associated with a window at one level,said pair of elements having cooperating crossing formations providing alocus moving steadily vertically upwardly as the elements are rotated inopposite directions to indicate the passage of hours, and a second setof rotating elements one within the other associated with a window atthe second level, said second set of moving elements having cooperatingcrossing formations providing a locus moving steadily verticallyupwardly as the elements are rotated in opposite directions to indicatethe passage of minutes.

'7. A clock of the type described, comprising two pairs of rotatingelements, the elements of each pair having spiral slots therein with theslots in one element extending in the opposite direction to the slots inthe other element, said slots in. the elements being crossed to providean opening moving steadily vertically upwardly as the elements arerotated, the moving opening of one set of elements indicating thepassage of hours, and the moving opening of the other set indicating thepassing of minutes.

A clock of the type described, comprising a housing having a pluralityof vertically extending windows therein at each of two diiierent levels,a pair of rotating elements associated with a window at one level, saidpair of elements being nested one within the other and having slotstherein extending at the same angle but in opposite directions in thetwo elements, said slots being crossed so that rotation of the elementsin opposite directions provides an opening moving steadily verticallyupwardly as the elements are moved to indicate the passage of hours, anda second set of similar rotating elements associated with a window atthe second level to indicate the passage of minutes.

9. A clock of the type described, comprising two pairs of movingcylindrical shell-like elements, the elements of each pair being innested relation and being provided with slots inclined at the same anglebut in opposite directions in the two elements, said slots beingpositioned to cross each other as the elements are rotated in oppositedirections, whereby the crossing of the slots provides an openingthrough the elements, which opening moves steadily vertically upward-1y.

10. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing having aplurality of windows therein at each of two levels, two pairs of movingcylindrical shell-like elements, the elements of each pair being innested relation and being provided with slots inclined at the same anglebut in opposite directions in the two elements, said slots beingpositioned to cross each other as the elements are rotated in oppositedirections, whereby the crossing of the slots provides openings throughthe elements, which openings move steadily vertically upwardly, saidopenings being registered with the windows.

11. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing, markingsthereon, continuously moving elements associated with said housing anddriven at a predetermined rate, the same elements being visible fromdifferent positions around said housing and cooperating with saidmarkings whereby the passage of time can be ascertained.

12. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing, continuouslymoving elements within said housing and driven at a predetermined rate,said housing bein provided with a plurality of windows through which thesame elements are visible from different positions around said housing,a ings on said housing adjacent said windows and cooperating with saidelements whereby the passage of time can be ascertained.

13. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing, sets ofcontinuously moving elements within said housing and driven atpredetermined rates, said housing having windows therein through whichthe same set of elements is visible from different positions in acomplete circle around said housing, whereby the passage of time can beascertained, the indications of passage of time being identical for allof said positions.

14. A clock of the type described, comprising a housing, sets ofcontinuously moving elements within said housing and driven atpredetermined rates, said housing having sets of plural windows thereinregistering with the sets of elements, markings on said housing adjacentsaid windows, the same set of elements being visible from differentpositions around said housing, said elements being movable relative tosaid markings whereby the passage of time can be ascertained.

HOWARD JOHNSON.

